Beneath the Rain
by Danielle Winters
Summary: He was siyying quietly, contented with the life he has. Finally, he had found his answer, his purpose and his treasure. Soujiro was now complete.


**Hi there,**

This is my first Soujiro-Misao fic. I was so bored waiting for my sister who attended the College Parents Meeting in our school. SUe me for any errors you'll find here 'cause I was do damn hungry when I was writing this fanfic.

Please enjoy reading this! Review and criticisms are very much welcome.

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own RK.**

**The Beneath the Rain**

Danielle Winters

It was a rainy night when he first tasted what its like to hold a katana and kill his only living relatives. It was a rainy night when he first smelled the stench of blood reeking from the decapitated bodies before him. That rainy night changed his life forever.

Being a bastard's son to a whore, Seta Soujiro's existence was miserable. His father died and his uncle took him in not because of pity but to make him a servant whom they do not need to pay. In spite of all the beatings and maltreatment he experienced, he continued to smile when deep inside him. He was breaking apart…

…Sometimes it is easier to smile than to explain why you are crying.

It was his ability to smile in spite of all the hardships and unfairness of life that made Makoto Shishio take the young Soujiro as his apprentice. Years later, Seta Soujiro became the famous assassin of the Juppongatana, Tenken no Soujiro.

He sighed as he looked up at the blue horizons. It was a distant memory now. He was no longer the "tenken", he already left that in the past. He became a rurouni, wandering around places as he tries to find his answers in life. How long have he been wandering. He thought deeply and realized that he wandered for almost five years. He assumed that he would find his answers longer compared to the two swordsmen who had influenced his life greatly; Makoto Shishio and Himura Kenshin.

Before, he used to believe that the strong shall live and the weak shall die as what Shishio instilled in his young mind. But as he traveled around Japan, he found out that humans are natural born survivors and that they all just want to live…

…and living requires the company of other people, the strong lives to give strength to the weak and to protect the lives of other people so that they may be able to have a peaceful existence- just like how Himura Kenshin saw the world in his eyes.

It has been five years since he finally made peace with himself and someone had helped him to see the world in a different perspective. Like him. This carefree young woman hides all her pain behind a smile but unlike him. This young woman was not consumed by pretending. She was able to express her own feelings. Through her, he learned about emotions, about joy and sadness, amour depending on other people when the going gets tough.

She made him see the light in the darkness and joy in the simple pleasure of life. Soon he found himself caring for her, wanting to protect her at all cost and regretting that her heart had already belong to someone.

It was a rainy afternoon when their paths crossed. Makimachi Misao was reating under the shade of a huge tree in the forest while Seta Soujiro accidentally ran into her. She recognized him instantly in spite of the brief and informal meeting at Shingetsu Village. Both were surprised but in the end, the old adversaries exchanged stories as to why both of them had embarked on a journey. She was heartbroken while he was a lost soul and both were trying to find the meaning of existing in this world.

Fate loves to play with people and destiny binds two souls in the most unexpected ways. It was raining and both of them were about to enter Kyoto when they were met by a familiar tall and brooding man whose piercing blue eyes reflected anger and worry at the same time. It was a time of separation, the one thing Seta Soujiro feared. Shinomori Aoshi would take back Makimachi Misao to Aoiya.

She had a home while his home was in the streets. He wanted to be with her but the circumstances would not allow it. He was being hunted by the government while she has people whom she could call family. Even though he wanted to be with her, their differences would not allow them…

…and so he had to do what was best for them…

"But I don't want to go back Aoshi-sama!" she yelled. He was taken by surprise by what she had just said.

"You will go back to Aoiya where you belong…" Aoshi firmly retorted.

"How can you say that when you can't even find peace there? I've been waiting for you all my life and all I wanted was your acknowledgement that you can feel how much I love you but what did I get? Nothing! You treated me like a kid, like I would never grow up and push me aside. You decide for me to marry someone I barely know when all I wanted was you…"

"I love you Misao, will you go back with me at Aoiya?" Aoshi said while staring staright at Misao's sea green eyes. Misao was speechless while Soujiro just stood there barely listening at the conversation. In the rain, Soujiro finally realized how much Misao means to him…

…his answer was right beside him all along…

Soujiro felt that Misao held his hand tightly and laced it with his fingers. She closed her and then she looked at Aoshi with a smile and the light of happiness shimmering in her eyes. Both men saw genuine happiness in the young woman's eyes.

"Aoshi-sama, I finally found where I belong…" Misao said with sincerity. And Soujiro's eyes widened in surprise. He could not believe at what he had just heard. He just smiled and held her hand tightly.

"I vowed to protect her happiness Shinomori-san."

It was the most unforgettable day in his life and now, sitting quietly in his humble abode while staring at the blue horizons, he looked at the woman sleeping on his lap and tucked a stray hair behind her ear, His life was now complete and he was glad that he'll be spending the rest of his life with this her…

…beneath the rain he found out what he was looking for…

…his answer…his purpose…his treasure…

…his Misao.

**AUTORS NOTES:**

**Yay, I was bored waiting for my sister whom I forced to attend the College Parents Assembly. I think it's a little cheesy but this is my first Sojiro-Misao fic. I'd appreciate it if you will review this for me.**

**Ciao!**


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